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Unit 2: The Agricultural Professional's Role
Think about the relative difficulty of actually measuring the indicators in the previous activity and assessing changes in those measurements over time. What would be the 10 most important indicators you would use in assessing the sustainability of a farm or ranch in your area?
Keep in mind that indicators are a reference point and that their value lies in understanding the factors and practices that can lead to positive changes for the farm/ranch business and the environment. In that light, it is important to continually assess the system, and monitor changes in key indicators over time.
Fortunately, there are a number of excellent tools available to assist you in the technical aspects of assessing farm and ranch sustainability. In each case, continuous monitoring and record keeping are a key component. Here are a few examples:
In addition to these types of whole-system assessments, resources have been developed to help you assess particular components of the farm or ranch system. Tools to help you assess soil quality and health, for example, are available at NRCS Soil Health Assessment. Resources also exist for assessing water quality on farms, such as Evaluating Water Quality and The Farm Water Quality Plan, both available from UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. |
